Seishi Hidden Dev 7

John's gaze did not relent. He wasn't sure what happened, but it must have been something truly wrong for things to go this way. Especially considering the previous interactions they all had.

Still, it was clear he wasn't going to get anything more out of Seishi on this. The focus was just being diverted. The spotlight put back onto the other one with serious personal issues: The depressed bladesman, the fearful heart.

"Reckon you can reduce it to that. Been thinking on it. Been thinking about the fear of it all and one important question... Why am I fighting? I just need to find that answer. That should... that should help it all."

To just divert from the fear to a purpose. That's how it worked, yes?
(John)
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"There's a way. For you to figure that out. As Holz said, fight for your friends. But that's isn't just it. Fight for yourself, your future, your pride. Everything else is irrelevant. It does not matter if you lose. As long as you fought for those reasons, you'll understand that the fear you hold was all a fluke."

Seishi fixes their scarf, placing it over their lips. Seishi would give Mackenzie a quick squeeze of her hand before letting go and walking onto the field. Hands dusting off her sleeves like she was preparing for something. A battle. "John. I want you to fight me. But this won't count as training. I want you to fight me like I am the enemy and aim to harm me like you wanted to do to that child earlier."

Seishi refrained from pulling out her staff and would only let her other self appear briefly. Flames encroached the both of them.

"If you can't do this then you'll never find the courage."

"Let this be a lesson, John. You'll never get a chance like this again."
(Seishi)
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The gloomy man watched as Seishi took a battle stance, his grip upon his sword tightening ever more. This was what it was going to be? Training through violence? To fight as if life and death were on the line?

John wasn't one for sparring, in truth. It felt limited and a waste of his time but... He couldn't break his gaze from Seishi. The swordsman knew he could not turn down this fight, could he? This was going to be an all out attack upon him, one that would leave him likely maimed.

All while similar fires to the angel burned bright.

John's heart pounded in his chest as his eyes widened. The grip of self-doubt clutched upon his mind so tightly. A choking grasp of fear and self-loathing that locked the man in place. Seishi knew exactly what they were doing. But even then...

Why? Why fight? For his friends? For himself? For some abstract aspect of living? Was that worth the grim specter of death? Was that worth risking it all to live a cripple or become a useless corpse upon a bloodied field? One leg moved before another, bringing him forward. An almost instinctive reaction,

He wanted to run, but where would he go?

"I... Then let's get this... get this over with."

John was going to die.
(John)
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Seishi asks, "Hey, Seishi. Easy or Hard?"

Seishi says, "Do what you feel is right."
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Fiery auras succumb the both of them. Clashing as they sent their attack towards each other with full force but of course, Seishi wasn't use a weapon. This could also count as two on one. But it wasn't like her demon friend did that much to make him flinch. Purple flames burn the grass around them. Lightning fills the air and the clouds above them.

"Tesla.."

Seishi held her hand out, a violet beam rushing out of her palm threatening to pierce through John. Luckily....

Miss

Seishi's eyes narrowed. How could she have missed? Maybe it was the height difference that she needed to adjust to but she should've already. A fluke or maybe John was getting better or actually trying in this case. "Reality...freeze."

Seishi's hands outstretched again. Suddenly, the both of them would've have stopped in their tracks. Although, John would be taking heavy damage from the sudden attack. It was unpredicatable..

Small lit flames swirl around the girl's frame. Charging up her fire arrow while setting up for another attack. She kneeled on the ground; purple electricity powering up in her palm. As she launched forward, flames blew from within her lips and piercing strike followed after.

"Plasma Piercing Arrow..!"

John would be down for the count. Seishi only stared, expressionless and waited for him to pick himself up.
(Seishi)
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John never had time to cry out.

The ground felt cool beneath him, inviting him to stay there and rest. To close his eyes and never awaken. Let what was happening happen, embrace a chance at freedom. His mind was lost in the throes of dark magics, his world gone from his vision.

I can't breathe.

Blasts of raw and deadly fire slammed into his body, scoring his breastplate and clothes. His entire world was on fire and the protective grasp of energy could do naught for him. Was he even posing a challenge for Seishi? Or was the fighter simply making himself look a fool.

I need to get up.

The darkness lifted from his eyes as he grasped the ground beneath him, his sword inches from his hand. The heavy pressure weighed down upon him once more, fear seizing his joints. Or was it the powers of Seishi? He couldn't tell anymore. Still, his body was... fine. He was alive.

I needto fight.

He could still fight.

John rose to his feet, picking up the blade and maintaining a defensive stance. No words escaped his lips as his entire body trembled. His hands shook and his legs threatened to buckle. Fear hung around him like the shackles they truly were. Self-doubt still weighed heavily on his methods of attack.

The fear only grew worse and worse. It was do or die for John. He could not relent. Not as tears started to stream down his face, his hands shifting nervously along the blade. He had to win.

Fear echoed in his voice as he charged, unable to form words anymore.
(John)
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It was close and John was surely giving the weaponless Seishi a hard time, but Seishi was partially skilled in countering those who favored the sword of shooting spells. John would be fighting a B- Tier Sergeant. Losing was inevitable unless Seishi had loss her glasses of course and with a demon to aid her, it didn't make things any easier for John. John would just have to power through like this was a hardcore training session in mountains. Surely, Seishi wanted to get something out of this, too. Fighting differently, giving herself openings to test out new tactics, but was it enough for someone of stronger caliber? She proved herself by defeating Lieutenant Kuja earlier, but against others like him, would it be possible?

He needed... more.

Clearly the power scaling wasn't enough for her. Back then, she was able to toe and toe with Holz. Sure, Holz had a stronger weapon, but she'd win a couple of times against him. Now,she just couldn't. The power scaling was just a large gap. Another power would have to be gained if she was going to go out and prove herself even more.

Seishi's aid would see John right in front of them. Setting up a combo after seeing Seishi nod at them, the demon would quickly flash behind John and kick him in the direction right in front of Seishi. Seishi let out a hand once more. A violet glow surrounding her palm as he began to speak the words, "Tesla..!"

Success, the beam would strike right through John. A clear hit that'd pierce through and cause a lot of internal damage. John clearly wasn't having a good time. After seeing John staggered, Seishi charged up another lightning burst within her palm. Kneeling on the ground as before, her body would disappear in a flash. In the next second, Seishi hand would appear right inside John's shoulder while going completely through, Blood disspating off her fingers from the plasma that surrounded her hand. She quickly pulled it out and let John submit.

"You almost got me. If I didn't use that, I would've surely lost. Get up, you need to get healed before you bleed out. I will admit though. You've gotten stronger and probably rival Kyras and Azulyn."

Seishi would let her flames disappear as she walked off the field towards the sidelines. "Hey, help him up and take him to Mistletoe. He's right over there."

"Whatever. Come on..."